This
is Hollway Road, Stockwood, as it appears on Google's Streetview.
Inevitably, it's not quite up-to-the minute, in fact it must be all
of a couple of years old. It still shows Langton Court, the
council's sheltered flat complex that has since been demolished.
A lot happened in those two years. With Cabinet agreement
secured, the tenants were found alternative places to live, the
buildings were razed, and in their place Housing 21 have built this
VSH (very sheltered housing) complex. It's called Bluebell Gardens,
and the first occupants are already in. Not bad going, in a
recession!
This is Hollway Road from the same place today:
This is Hollway Road from the same place today:
Spanning
the same period, there was another, much smaller scale, bid to
improve things for Stockwood's less athletic community. It didn't
need anyone to be rehoused, no new buildings, no land transfers, no
legal work, no planning permissions. Just a couple of simple
benches like this.
They
were to be placed beside the hillside path that provides the
main pedestrian link between the lower and upper parts of Stockwood; just
the job for people going up to the shops and library, or down to the school.
Fairly steep, though; and the only way to take a breather is to get
down on the grass.
Here's what the path looked like while Langton Court
was still up and running in 2010.
And
here's what it looks like now.
No
change there, then.
The bench project quickly became mired in a Neighbourhood Partnership process
that isn't fit for purpose. There's no problem in principle,
everyone agrees that these benches would be just the job; a few
hundred quid very well spent, and ticking all the right boxes. We
might have had them now if we'd let them stay in the 'wellbeing'
lists' – after all, if Tory councillors can gift an over-55's group a Christmas meal
and, later, a coach trip at public expense, anything is possible.
But instead we played fair, switching the benches to be judged
alongside other possible open space improvements, and now they can't
escape that long, long process. Requests to get the Partnership to
give them priority are rebuffed, even after the NPs own Environmental Panel recommended it; the question cannot even be put on
the Agenda.
The situation is ludicrous – but NP managers seem totally disinterested.
The situation is ludicrous – but NP managers seem totally disinterested.
Meanwhile,
locals will still have to struggle non-stop up the hill, or use a
car. Or buy into the spanking new Bluebell Gardens, which somehow
got built without local authority red tape getting in the way.
Stockwood
and Hengrove's next NP meeting, the first since June, is on Wednesday
17th October at Counterslip Church on Wells Road. Starts
6.30, business from 7pm. Observers welcome, but participation will,
on past records, be strictly controlled!
4 comments:
Pete,
You should have installed a "people's bench".
Here's Totterdown's: http://www.flickr.com/photos/donpedro/143587520/
It's still there outside Tesco Express and is used by all.
Revolutionary isn't it?
I'll have to take a look next time I go to the Thali. It's very 'Big Society' isn't it! Question is, is the little plaque still on it?
Yes. The little plaque is still there! The South Bristol Anarchists don't need to be credited with inventing "The Big Society" in 2005, thanks.
I thought maybe you wouldn't. I really need some smilies for these comments. :-)
I'm very glad the plaque is still there.
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